Chapter 176 Our New Home

• The sun had barely begun to rise when Aidan and Emily pulled up to the deserted house. The sky was still cloaked in the deep purples and blues of early morning, the first hints of daylight just starting to streak across the horizon. The house stood at the edge of a small, forgotten town, its once-grand facade now softened by the years, though still imposing in its solitude. The windows were shuttered, the front yard overgrown with wild grass, but there was something about the place that exuded a quiet kind of peace, as if it had been waiting just for them.
• Emily stirred in the passenger seat as the car’s engine quieted. She blinked her eyes open, her gaze foggy with sleep, and looked around in confusion. The night had been long, and the endless road had lulled her into an uneasy slumber, but now that they had stopped, the reality of their situation began to seep back into her consciousness.
• Aidan turned to her, his expression softening as he saw the confusion in her eyes. “Rise and shine, Love, we’re here,” he said quietly, his voice gentle as he reached over to brush a strand of hair away from her face.